Work call over young volunteers

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Ministers should recognise voluntary work as a proper job-seeking activity, a cross-party report has said.

The Morgan Inquiry said inflexible unemployment benefit rules deterred jobless young people from volunteering.

The panel of MPs and experts also called for a day a year off work to encourage volunteering, and an award scheme to recognise skills gained.

Baroness Morgan, who chaired the inquiry, said there were real obstacles to young people doing voluntary work.

The report said the Department for Work and Pensions and jobcentres should fully recognise volunteering as a route to work for unemployed young people.

'Good thing'

The inquiry found many young adults would benefit from an extra eight hours leave a year from their jobs or studies for voluntary activities.

It noted that there was no "industry standard" award scheme for skills developed through voluntary work.

The report said that the opportunities for young people to volunteer should be made clearer.

At present the wealth of information was both confusing and counter-productive, the panel said.

I hope that our recommendations will make a difference in clearing the way for young adults to make the most of volunteering Baroness Morgan

Baroness Morgan said: "Everyone says volunteering is a good thing. But it is not always straightforward to get involved and there are real and perceived obstacles which act as barriers to many young adults.

"I hope that our recommendations will make a difference in clearing the way for young adults to make the most of volunteering."

She added: "The benefits gained through volunteering for both young adults and society have been widely documented.

"What I hope is for these recommendations to be taken forward to equip young adults with the relevant information on volunteering, allowing them the time and freedom to undertake such activities, and properly recognising the skills that they can acquire through this process."

The inquiry was set up investigate volunteering in the UK for people between the ages of 18 and 24.